44 




MISSIONARY ASPECT 

OF 

AFRICAN COLONIZATION 



Extracts from an Address on the Missionary Aspect of African Colonization, hy James A. 
Lyon, Pastor of the Westminster (Presbylerian) Chur-ch, iSt. Louis. 

^^ Resolved, That the African Colonization is but the last of a series of Providences, as 
wonderful as they are gracious, the ultimate design of which is, to civilize and 
Christianize Africa." 

Mr. President : — There is is no theme better adapted to enlarge the 
mind — to benefit the heart — and to impress us with a deep sense of the 
Goodness, "Wisdom, and Justice of God — than that of a Divine Providence, 
reigning in, and ruling over, the affairs of men. 

A most vronderful illustration of this singular truth, is to be found in the 
history of the African Slave Trade. It is now beginning to appear 
manilestly, that what men designed as a gratification of the basest Snd most re- 
volting cupidity, God designed as the means to Christianize and civilize Africa ! 
I Hence, " African Colonization " has become one of most interesting Missionary 
enterprises of the age, or of any age. 
AVhen we open the Bible, we find it replete with great and precious prom- 
ises, in relation to the final ti-iumph of Christianity over the whole world. 
" They shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, 
saying, Know the Lord ; for they shall all know me, from the least to the 
greatest of them, saith the Lord." David, in the Psalms, represents the Father 
as saying to Messiah, his Son, — " Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen 
for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession." 
And not only so, but it is said specifically of Africa — " Ethiopia shall soon 
stretch out her hands to God." — These, and like Scripture promises and pro- 
phesies, assure us that the whole world is eventually to be evangelized, and 
W — Africa, of course, is one day to become a Christian nation. But how is this to 
be accomplished ? Suppose that the question had been asked three hundred 
years ago, How is Africa to he evangelized? It would have been impossible to 
nave solved the problem : for 

First, There was then no Enterprise in Africa, to bring It Into contact 
with Christian and civilized nations. Commerce and trade are the most cogent 
of all the instrumentalities ever made use of by the providence of God, in dif- 
fusing the blessings of religion and civilization, save that of Colonization. It is 
one of the greatest agencies, in breaking down the partition walls of prejudice, 
caste, language, and religion, that separate different nations and tribes, and 
bindin| the race of man into one great brotherhood. It was Commerce that 
took the gospel to India — it is Commerce that is now taking it to the different 
ports of China. But three hundred years ago, there was no Enterprise in xVf- 
rica, not even the Slave TVarfe itself, to bring it into contact with other nations. 

Second, This could not be accomplished by Conquest, or the Colonization 
of Europeans, on that continent, from the fact that the Almighty seems to have 
proclaimed an interdiction in the character of the climate of that country, 
against the white man living there. The history of missionary efforts in West- 
ern Africa, fully sustains this fact. " Catholic Missionaries," says Tracy in his 
history of missions, " labored for two hundred and forty-one years, but every 
vestige of their influence has been'gone for many generations. The Moravians, 



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beginning in 1736, toiled for tliirly-four years, making five attempts, at a cost 
of eleven lives, and accomplished nothing. An English attempt, at Bulama 
Island, in 1792, partly missionary in its character, was abandoned in two years, 
with the loss of one hundred lives ! A mission sent to the Foulahs, from Eng- 
land, in 1795, returned without commencing its labors. The London, Edin- 
bui'gh, and Glasgow Societies commenced three Stations in 1797, which were 
extinct in three years, ami five of the six missionaries dead." " Here then are 
eighteen Protestant missionary attempts, before the settlement of Liberia, all 
of which failed." 

These facts prove that it was not the design of the Almighty, that Africa 
should be civilized and Christianized by conquest or colonization of whites in 
that country. The question then again arises : if Africa is excluded from in- 
tercommunion with civilized and Christianized nations, for the want of enter- 
prize, commerce, and trade — if there is an insuperable barrier existing in the 
fatality of her climate, against the ingress of Europeans, those who are supposed 
to have the blessings of Christian light and enterprise — how is she ever to he- 
come evangelized ? 

Thirds There was not, three hundred years ago, nor is there still, in the 
Christian Church, sufficient self-denial, zeal, and energy, to send after the Ne- 
gro and take him home, in order to civilize, educate, and evangelize him, and 
then send him back to Africa, to communicate the same blessings to the be- 
nighted brethren. Or even if we suppose, contrary to the fact, that there was a 
sufficiency of Christian zeal on this subject in the church, to send every year 
scores of ships to transport them by thousands and tens of thousands into 
Christian lands, for the purpose of being christianized and then sent back to 
Africa, they could not be persuaded to accept this gracious offer. Being rude, 
ignorant, savage, and debased, they could not appreciate the value of the bless- 
ings proflered them. They therefore could not be prevailed upon to expatriate 
themselves. They must conseciuently be taken by violence, if taken at all, a 
measure utterly subversive of the very gospel which we wish to inculcate upon 
them. 

What now is to be done ? How is this great problem to be solved ? By 
what means shall the prophesy be fulfilled, which says : " Ethiopia shall soon 
stretch out her haiids to God ? " There is no enterprise, as yet no commerce 
and trade in Africa, to bring her in contact with Christian countries. Her 
CLIMATE interposes an insuperable barrier to the white man going there in any 
numbers. And there is not a sufficiency of Christian zeal in the Church, 
to send for them ; and if they did send, they could not get them without bribery, 
or violence. God does not work miracles to do what man can and ought to do. 
How then, is this great event to be brought about '? uThe Lord, wlio rules in, 
and reigns over, the passions of men — brings good out of evil — turns tlie curse 
into a blessing — and causes the wrath of man to praise him, thereby magnifying 
his own glory — pei-viits the existence of that most diabolical and monstrous 
of all the outrages that ever polluted humanity, the " African Slave Trade " — 
and sends the pirate after the Negro, to bring him to this country, where he is 
converted, educated, civilized, and in due time sent back — as were the ancient 
Israelites with the spoils of the Egyptians — laden with the richest blessings of 
civilization and Christianity, with which to bless and evangelize Africa ^ Who 
can fail to see in this the wonderful Wisdom and Goodness of God ! And 
where is the heart so cold, so insensible, as not to find in this, food for the most 
devout contemplation ! " O the depth of the riches both of the Wisdom and the 
Knowledge of God ! How unseaichable are his judgments, and his ways past 
finding out ! " 

The second great aspect, in which this interesting subject is to be viewed, 
relates to the glorious wisdom of God's providence in preparing the Negro to 
be a Missionary in his own country. 

The great object of Missions is, to enlighten the Mind, and save the Soul. 
But the Negro, without miraculous interposition, could not be qualified, in his 



own country, for the performance of this great work ; because in an uncivilized, 
barbarous state, no sufficient inducements could be brought to bear upon the 
African, to prompt him to undergo the labor, toil, self-denial, and mental dis- 
cipline, necessary to qualify him for becoming a IVlissionary. " Necessity is the 
mother of invention ;" but the savage African has but tew wants, and they are 
for the most part supplied by the exuberant bounty of nature. His native 
soil produces spontaneously and in great abundance the fruits and herbs -which 
supply him with food ; and the climate does not require clothing. Hence the 
African at home having but few wants, and these supplied by the hand of 
nature, will not of his own free will and accord undergo the toil and hardship 
necessary to accpiire a knowledge of the useful arts and handicrafts of civilized 
life. Consequently the first step towards ])reparing him to enlighten and 
evangelize his benighted brethren, was to take him away from his own country, 
and place him under such circumstances as would compel him to acquire the 
necessary information. 

In the next place, the Negro, by a most unchristian act, is brought to a 
Christian land and ])laced under circumstances most favorable to his convek- 
SION, and becoming a Christian. 

This position is abundantly corroborated by facts : for out of three millions of 
slaves in this country, at least a half a million — one in every six — are profes- 
sors of religion, which is a proportion vastly greater than can be found amongst 
any other class of mankind, where the profession of refigion is a voluntary thing 
on the pai't of individuals ! And not only so, but it is another remarkable fact, 
that there are more professors of religion, three to one, amongst the Slaves in 
America, than in all heathen countries put together ! The number of Evangeli- 
cal ]\Iissionaries, in different parts of the world, is one thousand four hundred and 
Jifty-tico. The number of church members in heathen lands, including the 
Colonists, which, I presume, constitute a large majority of the whole, together 
with the families of missionaries, is only one hundred and ninety thousand, six 
hundred and tioenty-three ; whereas there are no less than fve or six hundred 
thousand professing Christians amongst the slaves in this country ! How 
amazing, and how gracious the overruling providence of God in making vise of 
the " Slave Trade " — so wicked in its Intention — so brutal in its execution — 
so abominable in the estimation of all virtuous men — as a means, indirectly, of 
saving more souls than all the combined missionary operations of Christendom, 
within the last three hundred years — thereby "bringing good out of evil " — 
" turning the curse into a blessing " — and causing the " wrath of man to praise 
him!!" 

The third preparatory step towards qualifying the Negro for being a success- 
ful missionary in his own country, Is to civilize him. This Is effected by the clr- 
ciuustances of slavery In which he is placed in this country. He is educated in 
the art of Agriculture, the very thnig that is destined eventually to bring Africa 
in contact with other countries ; for It does not rec^uire the perspicuity of a 
philosophic politician to see that Africa is destined, ere long, in consequence of 
her exuberant soil and tropical climate, to become the granary and fi-ultery of 
the world. 

He Is educated in the Mechanic arts. Providence Is, In a remarkable man- 
ner, bringing this about, by causing, as It were, the seasons to emigrate, so that 
where cotton was once profitably cultivated, It will not now grow — and were 
it not for the remains of" Gin houses" and " Cotton-screws," monuments of the 
departed. It would not Ijc known to the rising generation, that cotton was ever 
grown In certain sections of the country. The result is, that the master must 
either remove his slaves in pursuit of the emigrating climate, or he must 
turn their labor into the channels of the mechanic arts, which is actuallv being 
done to a very general extent. And in this way Providence is preparing the 
Negro for a speedy return to his own country. 

Proficiency in the mechanic arts renders the study of the Sciences necessary. 
Not that the Negro is sent to Academies and Colleges to study the sciences, 
but he studies them as Archimedes did, by actual practice : for how could a 



mechanic construct a Bridge — throw an ArcJi — rear a Column — pitch a Dom« 
— weld Metals, &c., &c., without scientific knowledge ? 

The Nestro, therefore, from the force of the circumstances of slavery in which 
he has been placed, is not only Chrislianized, but Civilized, and qualified to 
become an active and component part of a civilized community — to cuUivatf. 
the soil — to haild cities — to engage in trade — to rtign\a\s commerce — to 
make laws, &c., &c. lie is now ready to ketukn to Africa, laden with, 
what may be termed,, the spoils of civilization. 

But we come to coutoraplate the third grand move of God's providence, in 
relation to Africa.; / The Ne;jro is now qualified to return to Africa, but how 
wLU you prevail on hiin to go'? 

But how is the 'Negro to get to Africa ? He has no " Moses" to lead him 
forth with signs and juighty wonders — there is no promise of miraculous inter- 
ference — " manna" to , supply bread — the " Rock" to send forth gushing 
streams — and a " -wind from the Lord" to bring meat. And, moreover, the 
great and mighty sea, the broad Atlantic, lies between him and the house of his 
ancestors, and there is no " Aaron's rod " to divide these waters, nor " cloudy 
pillar " to lead the way ; how then is he to get to Africa ? The Lord provides. 
The fourth and final move, in this wonderful series of providences, was the or- 
ganization of tlie " American Colonization Society." About thirty years ago 
certain benevolent persons, in different parts of the country, were simultaneous- 
ly moved by an unwonted and unusual desire to benefit the black man. The 
idea of African Colonization was suggested, and immediately carried into exe- 
cution. The colony was begun, and has grown with unexampled rapidity, uni '' 
it is now an independent nation — "TuK Republic of Liberia" — extendin 
its fostering wings over no less than one hundred thousand human beings, wliu 
are rapidly imbibing the spirit and principles of Christianity and liberty. 

It is a fact, as remarkable as it is cheering to the heart of the Christian, 
that a larger proportion of the citizens of Liberia, (more than one half, I be- 
lieve,) ai'e professors of religion, than can be found in any other nation on the 
face of the globe ! Hei*e then is the " salt " to redeem Africa from her impuri- 
ties and corruptions — here is the "leaven" that is to convert the multitudin- 
ous nations of that continent into a homogeneous brotherhood ; and here is the 
" light " that is to penetrate all the dark places of that benighted land, and dis- 
sipate ignorance, superstition, and degrading error. 

Again, commerce and trade have already commenced between the native 
Africans and the Colonists. There is a constant stream of natives going to and 
from Liberia, engaged in trafiic, as yet on a small scale, 'tis true, but still it 
brings them in contact with civilized and Christianized men. By every visit 
they make \o Liberia, they gain a great increase of light and knowledge, and 
return to their native retreats with tales as marvellous, and as exciting, as those 
of the Crusaders. This stimulates others to visit that strange land of the 
" white-black man." They go away with less respect for their own- supersti- 
tions, and with greatly increased reverence for the religion and civilization of 
the Colonists ; and the time .is not far distant when they will adopt their man- 
ners, customs, and their religion. 

Once more — it will not be long, if it has not already occurred, until the 
the native kings and chief men will send their sons to be educated at the 
schools, colleges, and universities of learning, in Liberia — where they "will be 
certain to abandon their idolatry and adopt Christianity in its stead, and retuni 
to their homes civilized and christianized, in due time to succeed their fathers 
on the thrones and in the governments of the various tribes and kingdoms of 
that wide-extended country. And it is universally true, amongst barbarous 
tribes, and indeed amongst civilized also, that such as are the rulers, so are the 
ruled — " nice kinr/s, like people." 

It is impossible for the most cai-eless and indifi"erent observer and thinker not 
to see how Liberia is destined in a very short time — short, as measured by the 
clock' of God's providence, for with God " a thousand years are but as one 
day " — to evangelize and civilize Africa. 





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